Purpose Statement

This article explains how to configure a fee for private hydrant services so that an invoice is automatically created after the required hydrant services are completed.

The process includes configuring the private hydrants and responsible occupancy, identifying a hydrant billing contact, verifying permissions, creating the fee schedule, defining automation criteria, completing the required hydrant services, and locating the automatically generated invoice.

Background Information

Private hydrant service fees can be configured to automatically generate an invoice when specific service requirements are met.

Before configuring the fee, ensure that:

• Each applicable hydrant is identified as Private.
• Each private hydrant has a Responsible Occupancy assigned.
• The occupancy record reflects the correct number of private hydrants.
• A contact is designated as the Hydrant Billing Contact.
• Users responsible for managing the billing contact have the appropriate permission.
• The fee is configured to automate when a hydrant service is completed.
• All private hydrants associated with the occupancy are serviced within the configured service-date period.

The number of private hydrants associated with the occupancy can also be used when calculating the fee. For example, if an occupancy has two private hydrants and the configured fee is $50 per hydrant, the resulting fee would be $100.

Required Permissions

Users who need to designate or modify a Hydrant Billing Contact must have permission to update that field.

Within role permissions, the Hydrant Billing Contact setting can be configured so that the field is hidden, read-only, or updateable. To complete the billing-contact setup described in this article, the user's role must allow the field to be updated.

If the Hydrant Billing Contact option is not available when editing a contact, verify the user's role permissions.

Additional permissions may be required to manage hydrants, occupancy records, fee schedules, services, or invoices based on your agency's role configuration.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Configure the Private Hydrant

1. Navigate to Hydrants and open the Hydrant List.
2. Select the hydrant that will be associated with the private hydrant service fee.
3. Turn on the Private toggle.
4. Verify that the appropriate Responsible Occupancy is assigned to the hydrant.
5. Save the hydrant.
6. Repeat these steps for each applicable private hydrant associated with the occupancy.

2. Verify the Number of Private Hydrants

1. Open the occupancy record associated with the private hydrants.
2. Locate the applicable access information within the occupancy.
3. Verify that the number of private hydrants reflects the actual number associated with the property.

For example, if the property has two private hydrants, the occupancy should reflect a count of 2.

3. Designate the Hydrant Billing Contact

1. From the occupancy record, navigate to Contacts.
2. Select an existing contact or add a new contact as needed.
3. Designate the contact as the Hydrant Billing Contact.
4. Save the contact.
5. Verify that the Hydrant Billing Contact designation appears in the contact attributes.
6. Save the occupancy changes as applicable.

4. Verify the Hydrant Billing Contact Permission

1. Navigate to the applicable role or permissions configuration in ADMIN then Field Management.
2. Search for Hydrant to locate the relevant permission.
3. Locate the permission associated with the Hydrant Billing Contact.
4. Verify that the applicable role has permission to update the Hydrant Billing Contact.

If the permission is configured as hidden or read-only, users assigned to that role will not be able to complete the billing-contact configuration required for this workflow.

5. Create or Edit the Private Hydrant Fee

1. Navigate to the fee schedule.
2. Create a new fee, edit an existing fee, or duplicate an appropriate existing fee.
3. Configure the required fee information, including:
   • Billable Category
   • Type
   • Line Item
   • Unit
   • Fee Type
   • Fee Formula
4. Use clear names that make the fee easy to identify and search.

For example, the line item can identify the fee as a Private Hydrant fee, while the line item details can explain that the fee is for testing private hydrants.

6. Configure the Unit and Automation

1. Configure the unit as Each.
2. Turn on Automate.
3. Set the Associated Action to Complete a Hydrant Service.

This allows completion of the applicable hydrant service to participate in the automated fee workflow.

7. Configure the Fee Formula

1. Select the appropriate formula option.
2. Use the hydrant-related count placeholder that represents the number of private hydrants associated with the occupancy.
3. Apply the desired fee calculation.

For example, if the agency charges $50 for each private hydrant, configure the formula to multiply the private hydrant count by 50.

With two applicable private hydrants:

2 private hydrants × $50 = $100

The formula builder can also support mathematical operations such as addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and parentheses when more complex calculations are required.

8. Configure the Fee Criteria

The criteria determine when the automated fee can be applied.

1. Add the Service Date criterion for the private hydrant service.
2. Configure the service date for the appropriate billing period.

For an annual fee, this can be configured from January 1 through December 31 of the applicable year.

3. Add the Is Private Service Completed criterion.
4. Set the criterion to Equal To: Yes.
5. Configure the relationship between the criteria as AND.

Using AND requires both conditions to be satisfied before the fee can be generated.

The resulting logic requires the private hydrant service to be completed during the configured service-date period and the private service to be marked as completed.

6. Save the fee.

9. Complete the Private Hydrant Services

1. Return to the Hydrant List.
2. Locate one of the applicable private hydrants.
3. Start the required hydrant service.
4. Select the applicable service or inspection, such as the annual inspection demonstrated in the training workflow.
5. Complete the required checklist questions.
6. Add remarks or images when necessary.
7. Select Complete when the service is finished.
8. Repeat the process for every private hydrant associated with the occupancy.

Important: All applicable private hydrants must have their required service completed within the configured criteria period. If an occupancy has two private hydrants and only one is completed, the automated invoice will not be generated under the demonstrated configuration.

10. Verify the Automatically Generated Invoice

1. After all required private hydrant services have been completed, navigate to the Invoice List.
2. Locate the automatically generated invoice.
3. Open the invoice.
4. Verify that the private hydrant fee and calculated amount are correct.

For example, two private hydrants at $50 each should result in a $100 fee.

11. Distribute the Invoice

Automatic fee creation does not automatically send the invoice to the billing contact.

After the invoice has been generated:

1. Locate the applicable invoice.
2. Review the invoice for accuracy.
3. Print or email the invoice using the appropriate workflow.

Best Practices

• Verify that every applicable hydrant has the Private toggle enabled before configuring automation.
• Confirm that every private hydrant is connected to the correct Responsible Occupancy.
• Keep the private hydrant count on the occupancy accurate.
• Always designate an appropriate Hydrant Billing Contact before relying on the billing workflow.
• Use descriptive billable categories, types, and line-item names so fees are easy to locate.
• Use AND when both the service-date and private-service-completed conditions must be satisfied.
• Review annual service-date criteria when preparing for a new billing year.
• Confirm that all private hydrants associated with the occupancy have completed services before troubleshooting a missing invoice.
• Review automatically generated invoices for accuracy before sending them.
• Remember that automatic invoice creation and invoice delivery are separate processes.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why can't I select or update the Hydrant Billing Contact?

Verify the user's role permissions. The applicable Hydrant Billing Contact permission must allow the user to update the field. A hidden or read-only configuration will prevent the user from making the required change.

Why wasn't an invoice generated after I completed a hydrant service?

Verify that all private hydrants associated with the occupancy have completed the required service. If the occupancy has multiple private hydrants, completing only one may not satisfy the fee criteria.

Also verify that the service was completed within the date range configured in the fee criteria and that Is Private Service Completed is set to Yes.

Why is the invoice amount different from what I expected?

Verify the private hydrant count associated with the occupancy and review the fee formula. If the formula multiplies the hydrant count by a per-hydrant amount, an incorrect hydrant count will affect the calculated fee.

Should the fee criteria use AND or OR?

For the workflow demonstrated here, use AND. This requires both the service-date criterion and the private-service-completed criterion to be satisfied.

Using OR changes the logic so that either criterion could satisfy the configuration.

Does completing the hydrant services automatically send the invoice?

No. The configured automation creates the invoice, but it does not automatically distribute it. The generated invoice must be located and then printed or emailed as appropriate.

Do I have to complete service on every private hydrant?

Yes, for the demonstrated workflow. If the occupancy identifies multiple private hydrants, the required service must be completed for all of them within the configured period before the invoice will generate.

Can I add remarks or images while completing the hydrant service?

Yes. Remarks and images can be added during the service workflow when needed.

Related Articles

Consider linking the following related Knowledge Base content where available:

• Creating and Managing Hydrant Checklists
• Completing Hydrant Services
• Managing Hydrants
• Managing Occupancy Contacts
• Configuring Roles and Permissions
• Creating and Managing Fee Schedules
• Managing Invoices